'This Week' Transcript: Powell and Dudley

May 30, 2010

Page 11 of 14

PAGE: You know, and all of that held the presidency captive.

DOWD: I think the Democrats in Congress better be real careful in
their criticism of the president in this, because the only person
holding them up at all politically right now is the president, because
their numbers in Congress are in the 20s. His still is in the high 40s,
low 50s.

So of all the popularity of Democrats around the country, Barack
Obama is probably the most popular. And so how much you criticize him
going into a midterm is not necessarily the best strategy.

TAPPER: Well, let's turn to President Obama and the Congress
working on the repeal of "don't ask/don't tell." First of all, Joan,
it's not actually technically a repeal, right?

WALSH: Right.

TAPPER: What passed?

WALSH: He gets permission to repeal it once they finish this --
this set of studies. And...

TAPPER: Why not just wait until the studies are done?

WALSH: You know, Jake, there's never -- it's never the wrong time
to do the right thing. And I think that's -- I think that's what
they're saying. People are calling this political and are not going to
sit here and be naive and say it's not political.

But they're not studying whether it should be done. As General
Powell made the point today on the show, which was excellent, they're
studying how to do it.

So it's not a matter of they still don't know if they're going to do
it. There are -- there really are logistical questions. Those are fair
questions. They will -- they will be presented with findings.

But there's -- there's no doubt that they're -- that they're going
to do it. And so do the Democrats want this vote to please their base?
Yes. But did -- did they make a campaign promise that they want to
keep? Did Obama? Yes, he did. Is that -- is that bad? I don't think so.

TAPPER: Your son, Daniel, Matthew, just finished five years in the
armed forces. What does he think of this?

DOWD: Well, it's interesting. When they talk about the military --
and Republicans criticize this, said we shouldn't do this, the men in
uniform -- from my son's perspective -- this has already been decided in
their mind and they're basically saying we don't -- shouldn't have
"don't ask/don't tell," that when they take a -- raise a hand and said,
who thinks that we should have gays in the military? Ten years ago, it
used to be 80 percent against it; now it's 80 percent for it.

My son explains they all sit around and talk about it. They go to
high school with kids that are now openly gay. They socialize with kids
that are openly gay. And all of a sudden, they go into the armed
services, somebody gives them a rifle, and they're not supposed to be
around gay people anymore?

It doesn't make any sense. It's long been decided in the public's
mind. I think the Republicans are so far out of step on this, where the
country is, especially the generation...

TAPPER: Well, it's Republican officeholders, right, because
Republican people are in favor of repealing the ban.

DOWD: Yes, Republican officeholders are so far out of step with
this. And so, especially the generation of folks that are under 35, who
basically are socialized to this, they see it in television, they see it
in the movies, and they act it in their daily life. So from my
perspective and my son's perspective, it's way overdue.

TAPPER: And you are a veteran. You served in the Army during the
Vietnam era.